News round-up, 13 November

13 November 2009

It's almost 2010. What will we all do when there are no more news round-ups? Weep freely, most likely.

Best make the most of them while we still can, then. The US's Museum of Science & Technology is holding astronomy-themed art contests for children in the area, says cnylink. There will be lots of hands-on activities, and even a competition to create a logo and slogan for IYA2009. Hang on, we already have those. Maybe someone should tell the children that and CANCEL their fun.

SpaceRef.com says that the Pope has been praising IYA2009 in an event attended by high-profile astronomers, including the European Southern Observatory's Director General. The Pope said ""The International Year of Astronomy is meant not least to recapture for people throughout our world the extraordinary wonder and amazement which characterised the great age of discovery in the sixteenth century." The news round-ups are all for recapturing people, although the Pope did not highlight this fact.

More Vatican-related IYA2009 news comes from Syracuse.com, which has posted an interview with the one, the only, the crowd-pleasing Brother Guy Consolmagno. You may know him from such blogs as the Cosmic Diary.

The Leonid meteor shower is almost upon us, so let's visit AccuWeather.com for some information. They talk about IYA2009, so they deserve the immense publicity boost that comes from a round-up mention. To spot the shooting stars, head out before dawn on 17 November, when they'll be at their peak. A common question is "where should I look?" The answer is UP. Visit the official IYA2009 site for even more useful snippets of information.

To Tunisia Online News, next. Tunis planetarium is marking IYA2009 with a programme under the theme of galaxies. Astronomical observations are front and centre. They've also hosted a conference titled "the scientific influence of Kairouan and its contribution to Mediterranean civilization".

One more to finish with. The digital newspaper Escrambray has run a story about UNESCO recognising the contributions of Cuban science. In particular their IYA2009 activities were applauded. That was a sensible one to end on, wasn't it?

Until next week, remember to check local sources for IYA2009 news in your own languages. If that sounds like an order, it's because it is.